With work on the cabin scheduled for spring that would take a month, we planned a trip in the camper to the coast. Neither of us had been to the Pacific northwest coast. The spring thaw was late coming. We thought work would start around the first week of March, but it was almost the end of March before the snow had melted enough. If you know me, you know it was killing me not knowing exactly when we would leave. Not having a plan doesn’t sit well with me. When the log repair company said they were coming, we had a day to load up and take off. And we did! As soon as they arrived, we handed them a key and hit the open road! Ok, the open road all the way to Kettle Falls, about an hour west of home. We found a little campground on the Columbia River and had the whole place to ourselves for the night.

The Columbia River, just west of Kettle Falls, WA

The next morning we headed across the upper portion of Washington. It was a beautiful drive over a pass where there was still five feet of snow on the ground and it was snowing, yet again.

Going over the Sherman Pass, Hwy 20 NE Washington.

Our goal was to get to the coast, so we didn’t spend more than one night at each place we stayed until then. As usual, we tried to find campgrounds on some sort of body of water, without having to drive more than three or four hours a day. Thats not too hard to do in these parts.

Camped on the Columbia again, this time in central WA. Ginkgo Petrified Forest, Wanapum Campground.

At the Ike Kinswa State Park Campground, we just had a little walk to the lake. The campground was mossy!

We steered clear of Seattle’s busy traffic and went up the Olympic Peninsula along the Hood Canal. Once we got to the top at the Strait Of Juan deFuca, near Port Angeles we stayed a few nights at a nice campground overlooking the strait. That’s when we realized that we left the peace and quiet of our home to be parked feet from people with kids and dogs running wild. That seems a little backward. Usually people go camping to get peace and quiet. Fiona loved seeing all the action!

Backed up to the Dosewallips River at the Dosewallips State Park. Where the river flows into the Hood Canal.

Walking out to where people dig for clams on the Hood River.

One morning we woke up to a about 100 elk in the Dosewallips Campground.

Except for the temporary orange fence, we had a nice view on the Strait of Juan deFuca. West of Port Angeles at the Salt Creek and Tounge Point Recreation Area Campground.

We found the beaches of Washington are covered in beautiful drift wood and Oregon has a lot of coastal dunes. We enjoyed the east coast beaches when we were traveling, but I have to say they aren’t as beautiful as the west coast. And as much as I love the sandy beaches of Southern California, there’s something mesmerizing about watching the waves crash on a rocky shore.

We finally made it to the Pacific Ocean. Kalaloch Campground in The Olympia National Forest.

A nice driftwood covered beach.

Lots of driftwood! The plaque at the campground said it washes down from river.

Can you say windswept?

At Grayland Beach State Park, we had to walk over grassy dunes to the ocean.

It was a little chilly and windy for the beach anyway!

We drove out onto the beach in Long Beach, WA. It is the longest beach in the US at 28 miles.

The Discovery Trail through the dunes along Long Beach, traces a coastal route taken by explorers Lewis and Clark. Fiona discovered a stick.

There were lots of cargo ships at the mouth of the Columbia River. Here's where we crossed over into Oregon.

Beach selfie at Shipwreck Beach, Fort Stevens State Park.

The shipwreck, hence the name Shipwreck Beach.

Fort Stevens was built during the Civil War to protect the mouth of the Columbia River from Confederate gun boats and the British Navy.

They let just about anyone man the cannons at the fort! And here I am a grandaughter of many confederate soldiers!

Beautiful views at every turn along the Oregon coast.

At the recommendation of a fellow truck camper we met on the trip, we stayed at this great place. Tillicum Beach campground. They recently added full hookups for a bonus!

We had the beach to ourselves on one of the first sunny days in a while.

Looking back towards the campground from the waters edge.

We went as far south along the coast as Coos Bay, Oregon. I found a cousin doing genealogy research a few years ago and she recently moved there. She spent her birthday showing me around Coos Bay and Cape Arago. It's funny that I'm the first relative she's met from my side of the family and yet she acts just like the rest of us. It was like I knew her my whole life.

Meeting my cousin Glenda for the first time. We are like two peas in a pod!

We stopped a couple of times along the coast on our way to see our son, Dustin, in Portland, OR. We had lunch with him and got back on the road towards home . After being away for a month we were both looking forward to being home .

Since it was raining, this is the only photo i got of Dustin.

One last waterfront camp site on the way home. Where the Deshutes River meets the Columbia River.